New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-27
PRICE THREE CENTS
END OF THE BLOSSOM CLUB
THE ROOMS OF THE so ,lETY 70 LET,

Ho''" DAM oF The TOMBS AND DYING IN MADISON
- SQUARE-TwEED' AND SHARP MEMBERS
Inc ou Blossom Is fading. Its petals which once
delighted York with their braucv h.,. .hr,va,,aA
into mummies OF their former richness Tho glory of the
bIossom which snce was looked upon as never Ia
i"ae' mas yieioed TO blasts Of chilling adversely.
In the huze pategass wndows Of the Blossom Club I'm
Twenty thrdst above the old gold half thers
hunk yesterday Two signs OF which the words
" To let' Said member yesterday: "rhs club will
close up because cannot pay expenses or late 1t has
mad tendency 70 take In members wboc annot support
q club"
The signs were aot there by by accident we're dis
played by design and as tho Blossom Club can
rent its apartmsntsl It will practically exist
Some OF Its members sansune their sopss that
time-honorsd society will bloom again next spring The
CLUB Is closing its doors because II lacks tho patronage
necessary to meet expenses II has been hsurshing
with even trace Of its former prosperity for
some time, and this Is the end. The hopes Of
It's members are based upon possible realization
from uncertain claims The principal one is claim fer
$4,000 against the estate Of Walter Roach former
treasurer OF the club Whom Roach to DO an officer
In 1871 1t was found that he had applied named
70 dis own use lie made an assignment vt the time and
secured tho clubs claim by trust deed The deed was
subject however to prior trust decd securing the Guar.
dams Saving Institution Of which vice prcs
dent John +. MeGswan trustee OF the estate
and has been the butt Of all litigation since the trouble
settlement Is apparently more nmnent at present
than II ever was.
GROWTH OF THE CLUB.
The Blossom Club is one Of the best known potcsse.
cal clubs In the country Its history has many charao
teriscs in common with other clubs 1t developed into
monument OF political power and financial strength.
and whom 1t had arrived at its prime 1t declined into
the weary old age which marks 1t now 1t was during
1862 1868 that few Of the political uminaes tho
Sixth Ward wont to assemble durixg the svenngsi
little above the "Ivy Green old time hosiery
lTn-st. O stica
Bowling regularly there to cheer the little circle and
exCounty Clerk John Clancy, Police Captain and sub
ssquenty Superintendent John Jourdan Charities Com
missioner owen W. Brennan and his brother. I.Coa
trsller and Police Commissioner Matt" I. Brennan,
ably assisted in the jOllifcation.
over tho flowing bowl and enveloped in clouds Of
smoke from the fragrant weed the little assemblage dis
cussed the questions Of the day An innocent game and
the discussion OF occasional feast varied the
OF the programme and bound the friends together more
closely. The host OF the Ivy Green at the time
John stacom now a criminal lawyer. who still
about the Tonbs The merry OF the little gathering
attractive and because the originators were IN
selfish, generous men thoy readily allowed enc after
another OF their friends to enter the circle aud share
with them their enjoyment.
Iti said that one evening when the gathering vas
complete ene Of the number locked around him aud
ticnc the increased array remarked see the bud OF
the Ivy Green Is springing into blossom. suppose
ana promptly aot When the the OF name
arose the sentence quoted was remembered and sac.
BUD. 1t adopted the name of Blossom" and kept
It since The Blossom did not remain long in Em-s
The sixth Ward Crowd" known largely con-
slcd politics IN the city and the club drew into its
lis Two lar &c rooms above the liquor store Of Chamber
lain Dsdse'. No. 7o9 Broadway. wers selected.
The new rooms OF the club had previously been occu-
pied as gambling shop. aud through some negligence
the police officers OF the district were not OF its
remev"L Oae nlsht the usual pasimes Of clulro were
being INDUCED In by the members some enjoying tto
s.s a,o Of poker .rSh low rln otaSr' s.aveT.s::
pounding At the door. and when the portal was thrown
and took possession Of tho place some Of his
%en & .slss! the rarHsgsnts In the ssns:
plenty OF pugnaeios temper In the club. however. and
Il did net take the hotb CODED long to mako threat
men demanded an explanation. The mystery was hnaly
se1 up aG with p.'ss spooss' s no, the sssss,n ant
Police pep1rtinent from decided kick" however
sergeant
POWER ~ THE TWEED RING.
It was this tus that the Tweed
Ring approached state OF perfection. Its psrsr
already nearing its maximum. and tue mechanism
Of thai greatest Of political machines began to work with
the utnsst harmony Tho "Blossoa" prodted thereby,
for it had many members who part and parcel Of
tho wonderful coatrvauce. Not the least importaas
amons these was Iweod himself For people Sf such
not sufficient. and they set about 10 obtain
suitable home for the "Blossom. which was approach
%sus5 % with SS' They Siown..Hs sssSTsa 'front.' be-
tween Twentieth aud Twcnty-hrst sts.
place IN the most ptu0us manner. and whcn 1t
csnpote tho club 10 with sounds OF truBpcis
Ind huklahs There grand reception and ospital
ity unliluitel
Then came the crash 1871. Tweed overthr.vn-
His ictinuc went with him. aud there were enough
rcilnuc In the club
IL TO feel tho blow. II struggled oraveIy
on spite s the fact that It's treasury bad
su1-rel Walter Roach had become involved IN the ring
and when the break he had not time to extrcso
himself His fortune into the and to-
occupies three-lolar.a-lay position IN Of
tho city departments.
sr years tho club removed to tho preseat
Barbold otsl occupying rooms ou the second floor aG
Broadway and Twenty thrst Recently IL aas removed
No II East rwenty.third ST. Many prominent
~ OF have been members Of the club. owen ". bren-
nan president Of It fer nineteen years. During
a portion OF his incumbeney Tweed vcs-
president Among It's nezbers during its prosperity
ex-senator John J. Bradley, Orotner-in-law Of
Pstor sweeney eXMsysr A. Oakley Hail. Police Conn
missioner Henry smith aud william C. Dewey, and moro
recently General +. g. spinola Jacob sharp Isaac Day
ton Alderman william sauer. Billy MslOUey, Martha
b. Brown captain Michael Cregan aud eXspeaker Will
ian iitehmsn Amsng its present members are Edward
kearacy. Isaac Bell Police Commissioner Nichols. Mar
snd A0ram Bernard. Cornelius 8 ConkliH judge George
T. Andrews Of the Supreme Court Vernon H. Stevenson.
JUDGES David McAdam and ). b. Hyatt. OF tho City
curt. Senators NJ c. Murphy aud G. Durham, and W.